Trainee teachers on the University of Manchester’s PGCE programme recently took part in a relaxed lunchtime bike ride as part of a green conference focused on sustainability education. 

Starting from campus, the group followed quieter routes through Rusholme, Platt Fields and sections of the Fallowfield Loop, using well-established cycle paths and green spaces that many people pass every day but don’t always think to explore by bike. The ride made use of the University’s existing bike-hire offer for staff, which provides 100 free minutes to try out the local Starling Bank Bikes. With bikes parked across the city and hired by the minute, participants were able to simply turn up, ride, and return the bikes at different locations, without needing to own one themselves. 

Alongside the sustainability focus, the session offered a welcome break in the middle of the day. Time outdoors, gentle exercise and a change of pace helped lift energy levels and mood, showing how cycling can fit easily into everyday routines without special equipment or preparation. 

For the trainee teachers involved, the activity helped ground wider ideas about sustainability in real, everyday choices – the kind they will soon be encouraging in schools and communities of their own.   

Olivia North, a participating student, said: “This experience was well thought out and highly informative as the University provided an invaluable opportunity to learn more about the environmental benefits of cycling whilst drawing on the social and health benefits – which are so important as we enter our teaching careers. Getting a tour of the city was a wonderful bonus and has made me feel both confident and eager to use these bikes in the future!”  

For more information about accessing the free 100 minutes, or a suggested lunchtime bike route, contact es@manchester.ac.uk